Authorities say items stolen from nursing home likely melted down

Evansville man charged with 21 counts of felony theft

NEWBURGH - Warrick County authorities suspect that many of the items believed stolen from a Newburgh senior citizen living center and sold to area gold and silver dealers have since been melted down, according to court documents.

Warrick County sheriff deputies on Tuesday arrested Joseph R. Mosley, 30, of Evansville, a former maintenance worker at the Village at Hamilton Pointe Health Care Complex, on charges of stealing items valued at more than $200,000 from residents there. He was employed at the health care complex from February to June.

Mosley faces 21 counts of theft, a class D felony. He made his initial court appearance Wednesday where his bond was set at $100,000 surety or $20,000 cash.

According to a probable cause affidavit, a hair stylist at the facility became suspicions of Mosely after he appeared to be staring into the salon's windows to see which residents were there. That employee reportedly told investigators that Mosely frequently pretended to tie his shoe while peering inside. After one incident on June 14, the stylist said she had another employee check the residence of one of the people inside the salon at that time. The latter employee, a nurse, reportedly told investigators she found Mosely inside the woman's apartment and that he was not authorized to be in there at the time.

That incident came three days after another resident reported jewelry was missing from her residence. When investigators were taking that report the facility's director told deputies that "several" other residents had reported possible thefts as well.

According to the affidavit, Mosley was "laid-off," along with some other employees on June 18.

Further investigation revealed that Mosley sold several items to gold and silver buyers in Evansville. The investigator in the case wrote in the affidavit that records show he was paid almost $42,000 from 57 transactions by two dealers who report their sales to the Evansville Police Department from February to June. The document does not say whether investigators believe the only items that Mosley sold during that time period came from items allegedly taken from Hamilton Pointe residents. But it does indicate that employees of both stores told investigators that items they bought from Mosely were immediately melted down.

Other items that investigators believe were taken from residents apartments were located at Mosley's Evansville apartment, according to the affidavit. Some victims were reported to have had insurance to cover some of the missing items.

Investigators also met with residents in late June to advise them of the situation and determine if there were more victims.

One victim alone reported that she was missing 14 pieces of jewelry — all containing at least some gold. According to investigators, the woman said she previously filed a case report in Vanderburgh County because she suspected the movers could have taken the jewelry when she moved to the facility in Evansville Another resident reported 16 pieces of gold jewelry missing as well as several pieces of silverware.

Overall, the sheriff's office said they believe that more than $200,000 worth of personal items could have been taken from residents.